SPORTS | 15-06-2019 07:57

Messi leads albiceleste in search for elusive glory in Brazil

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Argentina’s footbal team coach Lionel Scaloni gives instructions to his players during a training session at Manuel Barradas stadium in Salvador, state of Bahia, Brazil, on June 13. | GUSTAVO ORTIZ / AFP

For the ninth time in his
career, and the fifth as Argentina captain, Lionel
Messi travels in search of a longcoveted senior international
title. The Barcelona wizard
heads the Albiceleste delegation to Brazil for the Copa América, which begins for his nation
today against Colombia. It is a
daunting first test, and an apt
challenge to begin a tournament that already looks to be
out of his and Argentina’s reach.

Suffice to say, Argentina’s
preparations for this latest Copa have been far from ideal.
Since the 2018 World Cup ended in failure Jorge Sampaoli’s
replacement on the bench, Lionel Scaloni, has called up more
than 50 different players for a
host of friendlies of differing
importance and difficult before
finally opting for the 23 who
finally travelled to Brazil.

There was even time for one
last act of improvisation when
River Plate youngster Exequiel
Palacios – one of the talents chosen by Scaloni who should have
a great future in international
colours in Copas and World
Cups to come – was forced to
pull out after suffering injury
playing for his club. Having picked a long list of more than 40
prior to narrowing his choices
down, Scaloni opted for a player
not included at all among that
horde, Tigres’ Guido Pizarro.
While one does not like to jump
to conclusions based on one
incoherent decision, it is a curiosity that hardly bodes well
for the Albiceleste on the eve of
this tournament.

As for how the team itself will
look when it takes the field in
Salvador’s Fonte Nova Arena,
there is also plenty of doubt.
The starting line-up is all but
confirmed, featuring River’s
Franco Armani – a rare survivor from the Russia 2018 debacle – in goal, behind a defence
of new Porto signing and Superliga champion Renzo Saravia of
Racing Club, Manchester City’s
Nicolás Otamendi, Germán
Pezzella of Fiorentina and
Champions League semi-finalist, Ajax left-back Nicolás Tagliafico. Four-fifths of that backline featured in last Saturday’s
friendly thrashing of Nicaragua, a rival that hardly served
to replicate the fierce competition and ability Argentina are
likely to find at the Copa but at
least provided a welcome shot
of confidence ahead of the main
event.

The midfield will include at
least one player who has shown
he may be a worthy foil to Messi. Fresh off a fine season with
Betis in La Liga, Giovani Lo
Celso put in a stunning performance against Nicaragua; and
crucially was able to link up
with his captain in a way that
few have managed on a consistent basis in international colours, almost since Juan Román
Riquelme stepped down from
the team. Again, the yawning
gulf in quality must be taken
into account, but there is no
doubt that Lo Celso has earned
his place to take on Colombia,
most likely accompanied by
Leandro Paredes and Guido
Rodríguez, both solid rather
than spectacular performers in
the friendly.

It is in attack where perhaps
the only last-minute selection
doubt has been formed. Sergio
Agüero’s international record
and standing made him the
overwhelming choice to lead
from centre-forward: that is,
until Lautaro Martínez burst
onto the scene by scoring twice
against Nicaragua to give Scaloni certain food for thought.
Martínez is Argentina’s top scorer under their current coach
with four strikes in the past year
and while he is still likely to start
off the bench while Kun gets the
nod alongside Messi and Ángel
Di María, another strong intervention today would make calls
for his inclusion hard to ignore.

Messi and his merry band of
men continue to face Paraguay
and Qatar in Group B, before
the real challenge begins in the
knockout phase. There, the
team’s lack of experience and
cohesion is likely to be put to the
test. The likes of Brazil and Uruguay both go into the tournament with settled starting lineups that have been playing together for years, giving them a
distinct advantage over their
disorganised rival to the south.
Finishing top of the group will
help Argentina avoid those
heavyweights for a while, but
sooner or later they will have to
face up to the best of the continent, each of whose preparations have been far more solid
than the Albiceleste’s.

Argentina, meanwhile, have
Messi, as always the crux upon
which his nation’s dreams
hang, perhaps more so in this
Copa than ever before. The captain has not shown the strain,
looking relaxed and light-hearted in his uncharacteristically
informal dealings with the
press prior to kick-off, a sign
that heightens hopes that this
could be the year it all comes
together on the field. It may prove to be a desperate struggle,
though. Anything can happen
at a major tournament and surprises are always possible; but
at this point one can only conclude that Argentina are far
from favourites to finally get
their hands on this coveted trophy in Brazil’s backyard and
end a drought that stretches
back to 1993.